Dancin’ kicks off Festival Village

Northeast Ohio’s oldest and most popular fundraiser in support of HIV/AIDS services will return on Sunday, August 10, this summer as part of the 2014 Gay Games celebration.

The AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland, an affiliate of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and the 2014 Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation are teaming up to produce the 30th anniversary edition of Dancin’ in the Streets, a hugely popular event to raise funds to support services for people with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Renamed “Dancin’” to acknowledge its move off the streets and into the Games’ Festival Village on Mall C in downtown Cleveland, the 10-hour dance party will feature internationally known, New York City-based DJ/producer Joe Gauthreaux as its headliner. Local DJs Saint and Glisten and surprise performances will keep the beat and energy going throughout the day. The event will be the opening day for Festival Village, which continues through Friday, August 15.

Founded by the Taskforce in the earliest days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, Dancin’ has been an important source of support for critical services for those living with the disease—as well as an outlet for remembrance and joy for those who lived through the crisis’s darkest days.

“It’s tremendously exciting to bring back Dancin’ for its 30th anniversary as part of the Gay Games week of activities,” said Tracy Jones, chief executive officer of the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland, an affiliate of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and 2014 Gay Games board member. “HIV and AIDS have global and local impacts, so this international audience will help us remember those who are no longer with us and celebrate the advances that have been made in a spectacular fashion.”

“We’re thrilled to partner with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland to put on an incredible event,” said Tom Nobbe, executive director of the 2014 Gay Games. “The first Gay Games coincided with the discovery of HIV, so the two movements have been intertwined since their earliest days. We’re proud to help raise funds for local HIV/AIDS services as part of the legacy of welcoming the Gay Games to Cleveland+Akron.”

The AIDS Taskforce’s parent organization, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, is a Silver Sponsor of the 2014 Gay Games. As part of Festival Village, the AIDS Taskforce will provide attendees with information about HIV and AIDS, as well as offer on-site HIV testing.

Festival Village is the hub and heart of activities for Gay Games 9. Running from August 10-15, 2014, it features international, national and local entertainers; vendors; a food court; on-site bar service and more. Participants, friends and family, visitors and Northeast Ohioans will gather daily to celebrate, meet attendees from around the world, be entertained and enjoy Cleveland’s hospitality. Nightly, winning athletes from the more than 30 sporting events will be honored with a medal recognition ceremony.

About AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland

The AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland (the Taskforce) is a community-focused nonprofit HIV/AIDS Service Organization (ASO) that offers a comprehensive continuum of non-medical HIV/AIDS services in Cuyahoga and five surrounding communities. As Greater Cleveland’s oldest and leading ASO, the Taskforce provides vital “safety net” support services and prevention education for those at greatest risk. It also leads public policy initiatives, ensuring equal rights and opportunities for people living with and disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Approximately 1,200 people with HIV/AIDS and their families are directly served by Taskforce support services, and many thousands more are served through prevention and advocacy initiatives. The Taskforce’s mission is to provide a compassionate and collaborative response to the needs of people infected with, affected by, and at risk of HIV/AIDS. This is accomplished through leadership in prevention, education, supportive services, and advocacy.

About AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the largest non-profit HIV/AIDS healthcare provider in the USA. AHF currently provides medical care and/or services to more than 200,000 individuals in 28 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Asia. Additional information is available at www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter & Instagram: @AIDSHealthcare.

About the Gay Games

The Gay Games is an international sporting and cultural event held every four years under the founding principles of Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best™. Launched in 1982, the Games invite participation from everybody, regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, political beliefs, athletic or artistic ability, age, physical challenge or health status.

The Games are intended to bring a global community together in friendship, to experience participation, to elevate consciousness and self-esteem, and to achieve a form of cultural and intellectual synergy. The Gay Games is open to anyone 18 years or older. About 10 percent of participants are from outside the LGBT community.

The 2014 Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation will be August 9-16, 2014, in venues around Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, in the United States. More than 35 sports and culture events will be held, with 20,000 to 30,000 participants and visitors from more than 40 countries expected to attend.

For more information, connect with the 2014 Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation:

2014GayGames.com | @GG9Cleveland | Facebook.com/GayGamesCleveland

About the Cleveland Foundation

The Cleveland Foundation is the world’s first community foundation and one of the largest today, with assets of $1.86 billion and 2012 grants of $91 million. Through the generosity of donors, the foundation improves the lives of Greater Clevelanders by building community endowment, addressing needs through grantmaking and providing leadership on vital issues.

As part of its centennial year in 2014, the Cleveland Foundation is proud to be the first presenting sponsor in Gay Games history. The foundation’s support of the Games continues its long-standing commitment to social justice and inclusion.